a.61“823 \.\A Re. 35,387 1 2 SUPERFRAGILE TACTICAL FIGHTER leading edge sweep angles or incorporating strakes, i.e. a AIRCRAFT AND METHOD OF FLYING IT IN continuous band of plates on the fuselage, partial ?ow SUPERNORMAL FLIGHT separation of the wing or control surfaces may induce stability problems below the attack angles for maximum lift Matter enclosed in heavy brackets [ ] appears in the and impose lower limits on the normal ?ight regions.original patent but forms no part of this reissue speci? Solutions of these problems will allow ?ight above thesecation; matter printed in italics indicates the additions lower limits. Flight above the normal limits is considered ofmade by reissue. a supemormal nature.

CROSS~REFERENCE TO RELATED SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

APPLICATION The present invention is directed to a ?xed wing aircraft This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent with canard control surfaces and a method of human-pilotedapplication Ser. No. 721,664, ?led Apr. 9, 1985, abandoned operation thereof permitting supemormal ?ight which isconcurrently with the ?ling of this application. concerned with ?ight at extraordinary angles of attack, resulting in substantial changes in the pitch and the ?ight BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION path angles and also resulting in the attainment of ?ight paths and vertical velocities which are not normally attain 1. Field of the Invention able. The invention relates to the ?eld of aeronautics, in par 20 In piloted supemormal ?ight of the aircraft of the presentticular to aircraft manueven'ng and control devices of a ?xed invention, the wing of an aircraft, such as a superagilewing aircraft with a human pilot assisted by an automatic tactical ?ghter, is either partially or completely stalled, while?ight control system. the longitudinal control surfaces, such as in a rotatable 2. Brief Description of the Related Art canard arrangement, are de?ected to approximately the same Until about 1978, the region beyond stall was considered 25 magnitude, but of opposite sign, as the angle of attack of thean unacceptable ?ight regime frequently characterized by aircraft, so that the canard arrangement remains effective touncontrollable ?ight in spins and by undesirable deep stalls. control the aircraft through large ranges of angles of attack,Any deep stall condition is characterized by a stable pitch, and ?ight path. Such angles may vary from descendtrimmed ?ight but at a high angle of attack from which ing ?ight to deep stall, i.e. —4S°, to ascending ?ight inreturn to normal ?ight may be di?icult or impossible. A deep 30 vertical climb, i.e. +90".stall may be de?ned as an out-of-control condition at an Also, fully articulating air inlets at a front end of theangle of attack greater than the angle of attack for maximum propulsion system and fully articulating exhaust nozzles atlift with no signi?cant motion other than a high rate of a rear end of the propulsion system are articulated todescent. Conventional airplanes usually stall and lose con appropriate directions relative to the air ?ow so that the inlettrol e?ectiveness at angles of attack in the range of 18° to 35 operates effectively throughout the large angle of attack20°. range and also so that thrust is vectored in the desired However, according to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,261,533 and direction by the exhaust nozzle de?ections.4,099,687, it is now possible, through the use of a rotatable Thrust may likewise be vectored by small thruster jets orhorizontal tail on aft-tail con?gurations or through the use of other similar devices arranged around the nose of thetiltable engines on the wings, to provide stable and control fuselage, on the propulsion system near the exhaust nozzles,lable ?ight at extremely high airplane angles of attack. and on at least one vertical tail to provide control forces and Because movement other than a high rate of descent can moments at low speeds where the aerodynamic controlbe controlled by varying thrust levels and all moveable surfaces tend to lose effectiveness.control surfaces with large de?ections, the safety and use The advantages of such supemormal ?ight include:fulness of ?ight at extremely high angles of attack are being improved safety through prevention of spins; steep descentsre-examined and rede?ned. and approaches to landings; precise, steep surivable recov The essence of the longitudinal control concept, as set eries of remotely piloted vehicles; and enhanced high angleforth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,261,533 and 4,099,687, is to rotate of attack control manueverability and agility.the tail or to de?ect large chord elevons to magnitudes of 50approximately the same order, but of opposite direction, as BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSthe airplane angle of attack, so that the e?°ective tail aero FIG. 1A shows a front elevational view of the superagiledynamic angle of attack is below the tail stall angle and is tactical ?ghter aircraft of the present invention in level ?ight.thus capable of providing both stability and control for theentire aircraft. FIG. 1B shows a top plan view of the superagile tactical 55 ?ghter in level ?ight. Although rotatable canard arrangements are known fromU.S. Pat. No. 4,569,493, U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,810, U.S. Pat. FIG. 1C shows a side elevational view of the superagileNo. 4,010,920, and West German Olfenlegungsschrift tactical ?ghter in descending ?ight.2421524, such arrangements deal strictly with the stability FIG. 2A shows a diagonal top plan view of the superagileand control of aircraft and models in level and unstalled low tactical ?ghter at the center of a plane having horizontal (X)angle of attack regions of ?ight and do not address the and lateral (Y) coordinates.problems of stability and control of aircraft in the high angle FIG. 2B shows a diagonal front elevational view of theof attack regions of ?ight. superagile tactical ?ghter at the center of a plane having In most cases, the upper limit of normal ?ight is associ lateral (Y) and vertical (Z) coordinates.ated with conditions for maximum lift, beyond which the 65 FIG. 2C shows a diagonal side elevational view of thewing is completely stalled. For some aircraft con?gurations, superagile tactical ?ghter at the center of a plane havinghowever, for example, those employing wings with high horizontal (X) and vertical (Z) coordinates. Re. 35,387 3 4 FIG. 3 is a graph showing the horizontal tum character nozzles 14 of the propulsion system 12, and on the verticalistics of the superagile tactical ?ghter in the X—Y plane. tails 20. These control thruster jets 22 may be powered by an FIG. 4 is a graph showing in more detail the contributions auxiliary power system (not shown) or by bleed from theof lift and thrust to the turning characteristics of the super propulsion system 12. The control thruster jets 22 provideagile tactical ?ghter in the X—Y plane. control of the aircraft at velocities approaching zero. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the Although not shown, an automatic ?ight control systemturning performance of the superagile tactical ?ghter in including conventional programmable, pilot interactable,aerial combat against a conventional ?ghter jet aircraft. automatic avionic sensors, computers, effectors, and actua tors inside the fuselage 11 help to provide rapid control and DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT stability of the aircraft about the mutually perpendicular axes X'—X', Y'—Y' and Z‘—Z‘ of FIGS. lA-lC. As illustrated in FIGS. 1A through 1C, a superagile ?xed Utilization in several combinations of the propulsionwing tactical ?ghter aircraft, suitable for ?ying according to system 12, ?xed wing 15, canard surfaces 19, vertical tailsthe supernormal method of the present invention, comprises 20, rudders 21, and the various stability and control auga fuselage 11 to enclose a human pilot, a payload, and fuel, mentation systems by the human pilot allows the aircraft toas well as automatic ?ight control, navigation, and life operate in ?ight at angles of attack signi?cantly greater thansupport systems to assist the pilot. The fuselage 11 has a those associated with maximum lift. For this reason, thenose, a midsection, and an aft section. A jet engine propul aforementioned elements and systems of the present inven‘sion system 12 has fully articulating air inlets 13 at a front tion may be de?ned as supernormal ?ight controls.end for supplying a continuous ?ow of minimally distorted 20 The nomenclature, symbols, and equations of motionair ?ow, thereby maintaining e?icient engine operation of applicable to the superagile tactical ?ghter aircraft, whenthe high thrust-to-weight propulsion system 12 over the ?ying according to the supernormal method of the presententire ?ight regime, but particularly at high angles of attack invention, are represented immediately hereinbelow:and low speeds. Also, fully articulating exhaust nozzles 14at a rear end are provided for modulating and directing thrust 25 )fzVcos'ycosw (1)forces produced by the propulsion system 12. Although atwin engine propulsion system 12 is shown, a single engine Y=V cosysinw (2)or another multi-engine system may be used instead. Aswept or modi?ed delta ?xed wing 15 is mounted on the aftsection of the fuselage 11 and is equipped with ?aperons 16, 30 Z I V sin Y (3)elevons 17, and spoilers 18. The wing 15 has the propulsionsystem 12 mounted thereunder and this ?xed wing 15 is the (4)primary surface for producing the aerodynamic resultantforce characteristics of the aircraft. (5) 35 Mutually perpendicular reference planes are de?ned bythe three intersecting axes: longitudinal or horizontalX'—X', lateral Y'—Y', and vertical Z‘—Z'. (6) As shown in all FIGS. 1A-—1C, twin secondary controlforce-generating canard surfaces 19, mounted on the mid' (7)section of the fuselage 11, are separated from and locatedforward of the wing 15 to provide destabilizing and controlling forces about the lateral Y'—Y' axis. These canard , Lift coefficientsurfaces 19 are symmetrically located about the longitudinalaxis X'—X' and are pivotable or rotatable about a lateral axis 45 i D CD- qs , Drag coef?cientYC'—YC', shown only in FIG. 1B, to any canard controlde?ection angle 56, as shown in FIG. IC, in a range fromabout +45° (trailing edge down but not shown) to about —90° D, Drag=CDqS(trailing edge up shown in FIG. 1C) relative to the longituv g, Acceleration due to gravitydinal axis X'—X'. This large canard control de?ection range, 50 L, Lifti.e. +45°;5c-Z-—90°, allows the canard surfaces 19 to be S, wing areanearly aligned with the direction of local air ?ow over the T, Thrustaircraft so that the canard surfaces 19 remain unstalled. In t, Timeorder for an aircraft that employs canard control surfaces to V, Flight path velocitybe capable of trimmable and controllable ?ight at very high 55 V, Flight path accelerationangles of attack, the aerodynamic surfaces on the aircraft(i.e. wing canards) and the distribution of the mass of itsvarious components and systems must be arranged relativeto the center of gravity so that the aircraft is longitudinally (l) dt

unstable, i.e. the slope of its pitching moment as a function X, Y, Z, Flat earth axesof angle of attack must be positive. X, Y, Z, Velocity components along ?at earth axes Vertical tails 20 provide directional stability and damping. W, WeightRudders 21 on each tail 20 provide yaw control and augment q=/2 pV2, dynamic pressureroll control obtained by the ?aperons 16, elevons 17, and p, density of airspoilers 18 on the wing 15. 65 or, angle of attack As best shown in FIG. 1B, control thruster jets 22 are 7, ?ight path anglelocated near the nose of the fuselage 11, near the exhaust y, ?ight path angle velocity Re. 35,387 6 9, pitch attitute angle mately 0.7. The turning radius R associated with these (1), bank angle corner conditions for the conventional aircraft is about 1900 wheading angle feet. \jl, heading angle velocity (turn rate) The region inn which supemormal ?ight occurs in FIG. 3 For purposes of these calculations, the superagile tactical is bounded by the curve associated with the maximum ?ghter aircraft is represented as a point mass, without structural load factor 1'] as an upper limit and by the linesideslip, operating over a ?at, nonrotating earth. associated with the turn rate at the comer condition as a The thrust T, lift L, drag D, velocity V, and various lower limit. The change in the heading angle \y with theangular attitudes associated with and acting upon the aircraft change in time is described by equation 6 above and isin piloted supemormal ?ight are best illustrated in FIG. 2C. 10 de?ned as the heading angle velocity or turn rate \|!. ForIn such supemormal ?ight, the aircraft operates at an attack example, if the angle-of-attack 0t is 70° and the bank angleangle or much greater than the angle of attack for maximum (1) is 90°, the change in the turn rate \|! or the instantaneouslift so that the ?xed wing 15 is either completely or partially turn rate variation is illustrated by the dashed curve. Thestalled while the canard surfaces 19 are de?ected in a superagile tactical ?ghter of the present invention, whennegative sense through the de?ection angle-5c. The absolute ?ying at this angle-of-attack at of 70°, would exceed thede?ection magnitude of the canard surfaces 19 is approxi normally maximum comer turn rate \V at a Math number Mmately the same as the attack angle (1. for the entire aircraft of less than about 0.18 as the ?ight path angle 7 reachesso that such canard surfaces 19 are nearly aligned with the about 65°. At a ?ight path angle 7 of 78°, the turn rate \.|/local air ?ow and are, therefore, unstalled. Thus, the canard approaches 50° per second and the turning radius R is lesssurfaces 19 remain e?°ective as lift surfaces in providing the than 125 feet. For reference purposes, there is also shown therequired forces and moments for controlling the entire sustained turn rate characteristics for the aircraft when theaircraft. thrust-minus-drag is zero, i.e. T—D=0. In other words, the The velocity components of the aircraft along the X, Y speci?c excess power is zero, i.e. Ps=0.and Z axes are related to the aircraft ?ight path velocity V, To better describe the physical aspects of supemormal?ight path angle 7, and heading angle \y, according to 25 ?ight, additional characteristics of a turn by a superagileequations 1, 2 and 3 given above. tactical ?ghter aircraft are presented in FIG. 4. Basically, the The ?ight path acceleration V of the aircraft is related to data in FIG. 4 are the same data presented in FIG. 3 with thethe thrust T, drag D, weight W, attack angle 0t, and ?ight path addition of the turn rates \|! associated with the thrust T andangle 7, as stated by equation 4. the lift L. Equation 6 above shows the relationship of the The ?ight path angle velocity Yof the aircraft is related to 30 heading angle velocity or turn rate \4; to both the thrust T andthe thrust T, lift L, ?ight path velocity V, weight W, attack the lift L. For the particular ?ight conditions illustrated inangle at, bank angle 101 , and ?ight path angle 7, as stated FIG. 4, the thrust-related term in equation 6 predominatesby equation 5. when the Mach number M is below 0.28 but the lift-related The heading angle velocity or turn rate of the aircraft term predominates when the Mach number M is above 0.28.is related to the thrust T, lift L, ?ight path velocity V, weight 35 A pictorial turning performance illustration of the charW, attack angle on, bank angle <1), and ?ight path angle 7, acteristics shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is presented in FIG. 5according to equation 6. where an elementary one-on-one combat maneuver between As can be seen from equation 7, the pitch attitude angle the superagile tactical ?ghter of the present invention and a6 of the aircraft is the sum of the attack angle or and the ?ight conventional ?ghter jet which does not have features forpath angle 7. 40 supemormal ?ight is shown. Upon positive identi?cation, The attributes characterizing the superagility of the tac the opponents have the options of ?ring a long or mediumtical ?ghter aircraft are quanti?ed by the magnitudes of the range missile and or beginning to maneuver at their maxivelocity V, acceleration V, ?ight path angle velocity 7, and mum capability to evade the incoming missile while simul taneously trying to position themselves for close-in combat.heading angle velocity V, in particular, and by the rapidity The conventional ?ghter jet is limited to ?ying at its comer 45with which these attributes can be changed. A graphic Mach number or velocity because it does not have theillustration of the superagility, particularly the turning char' capability of supemormal ?ight at an angle of attack beyondacteristics, of the tactical ?ghter aircraft in the horizontal that permitted by the maximum lift coefficient. On the otherlateral plane X—Y is presented in FIG. 3. The heading angle hand, the superagile tactical ?ghter aircraft of the presentvelocity u; or turn rate of the aircraft is a function of the 50 invention begins its maneuvering by increasing thrust, prefMach number M of the aircraft at an altitude of 20,000 feet erably to a maximum. Next the pilot will climb by increasingand with a wing loading W/S of 68 pounds per square foot. the angle of attack of the aircraft to a very high level, sayThe aircraft thrust-to-weight ratio T/W varies from a value 70°, and then progressively increasing its ?ight path angle 7of 0.5 at M=0 to 0.9 at M=0.9, as shown in the inset table and bank angle (D to values approaching 90°.in the upper right-hand corner of FIG. 3. 55 Thus, as shown pictorially in FIG. 5 and graphically in The region in which normal ?ight occurs is bounded by FIGS. 3 and 4, the superagile tactical ?ghter aircraft incurves associated with the maximum lift coei?cient Cm supemormal ?ight accomplishes a decelerating, steep climbfor a conventional aircraft and with the maximum structural with a turn rate \|/ over twice that of the conventional ?ghterload factor 1] for the aircraft. The Mach number M and the jet attempting to operate at its comer Mach number M orturn rate existing at the point where these curves intersect velocity V. The turning maneuver in supemormal ?ight isare referred to as “corner” conditions. For a conventional analogous to a skidding turn of a powerful decelerating?ghter aircraft, not equipped with the elements of the present wheeled vehicle. This turning maneuver allows the superinvention, the turn rate at the corner condition is the agile tactical ?ghter aircraft of the present invention to turnmaximum instantaneous turn rate. For the speci?c example tightly inside the ?ight path of the opposing conventionalshown in FIG. 3, the maximum instantaneous turn rate for ?ghter jet and to launch a “supershot” short range missilethe conventional aircraft in normal ?ight is about 23° per before the opponent can turn and get into a ?ring position,second and occurs when the Mach number M is approxi thereby scoring an aerial victory. Re. 35,387 7 8 Although not illustrated herein, it is certain that innova decelerated along the steep ?ight path shown in FIG. 5.tive aerial combat tacticians will develop other multi-aircraft Deceleration inertial forces produced by thrust vectoring andencounter techniques which will use the features of the aerodynamic drag associated with high angles-of-attack arepresent invention in order to achieve greater advantages for much larger than the deceleration forces associated with thethe superagile tactical ?ghter aircraft. angle-of-attack which produces maximum lift. The decel The method of the present invention relates to ?ying and eration inertial forces cause the pilot of the superagilecontrolling a superagile tactical ?ghter aircraft employing aircraft to experience “eyeballs-down” stresses that are morehighly de?ectable canard surfaces 19 and having control endurable than “hang-in-the-belt”, “eyeball-out” stressesthruster jets 22 on the nose of the fuselage 11, near the that are nomally associated with the deceleration of aexhaust nozzles 14 of the propulsion system 12, and on both conventional ?ghter jet which is constrained to ?y at orsides of vertical tails 20 so that the aircraft may engage in below the angle-of-attack which produces maximum lift.supernormal ?ight in order to provide extraordinarily agile The method of the present invention further involves themaneuverability characteristics or “superagility”, relative tothe maneuverability characteristics of a conventional ?ghter ?ying and controlling of the superagile tactical ?ghterjet not capable of the present inventive method of ?ying aircraft by rede?ecting the rotatable twin canard surfaces 19because it lacks the aerodynamic structures of the present 15 to an angle-of-attack below the angle-of-attack which pro~invention. Thus, such a conventional jet is restricted to duces maximum lift in order to provide extraordinary unac?ying, at best, at its corner Mach number M or velocity V, celerated, or return to unaccelerated, trimmed ?ight condii.e. at the maximum permissible limit of normal ?ight at the tions.highest angle of attack associated with maximum lift. The inventive method of supernormal ?ight comprises the For example, the method of ?ying the superagile tactical 20 further steps of applying, modulating, and vectoring thrust,?ghter aircraft of the present invention in supernormal ?ight controllably orienting the superagile aircraft at a pitchmay comprise several steps. First, the superagile aircraft attitude in the range of 0° to about 90°, and causing theinitiates an aerial maneuver or responds to the initiation of aircraft to descend steeply and rapidly in altitude, as shownan aerial maneuver by an, opposing ?ghter jet of essentially in FIG. 5, while stability and control are maintained. Even~equal technological development except that the latter does 25 tually, the pilot levels the aircraft out so that it returns tonot have the supernormal control system of the present normal unaccelerated trimmed ?ight conditions.invention and therefore is restricted to maneuvers associated Further steps of the present inventive method involvewith angles of attack less than or equal to the angle of attack controlling roll, yaw, and pitch by de?ecting the aerodyat which maximum lift occurs. The opposing ?ghter jet is namic controls 16, 17, 18, 19 and 21 and by vectoring thealso limited to a maximum turn rate \4/ at the comer Mach thruster jets 22 in the directions opposing any undesirable motions. For example, as best shown in FIG. 1C, operationnumber M or velocity V where the turn rate \t/ provided by of the control thruster jets 22 on the bottom surface of themaximum lift and the turn rate \|! allowed by the ultimate nose of the fuselage 11 in combination with the articulatingstructural load factor T1 the conventional ?ghter jet are equal. air inlets l3 and the articulating exhaust nozzles 14 will According to FIG. 4, a representative value of a maximum 35 force the nose of the aircraft up while, as best shown in FIG.turn rate \jlmax for a conventional ?ghter jet not equipped 1B, operation of the control thruster jets 22 on the topwith the present invention but ?ying in normal ?ight at surface of the rear of the propulsion system 12 near the20,000 feet altitude is about 22° to 25° per second and the articulating exhaust nozzles 14 will force the tail of thecorresponding comer Mach number M is about 0.7, i.e. a aircraft down so that an undesirable nose-down pitch of thevelocity V of about 725 feet per second at such altitude. 40 aircraft is counteracted and eliminated. Operation of the The second step of the inventive method of ?ying the other thruster jets 22 will counteract and eliminate othersuperagile tactical ?ghter aircraft is that, upon sighting the undesirable movements of roll, yaw, and pitch. These operaopposing conventional ?ghter jet either visually or by elec tions need not be detailed herein because they should betronic systems, the superagile aircraft increases its thrust to discernible to persons of ordinary skill in the ?eld ofa maximum level and uses coordinated de?ections of its 45 aerodynamics from the example given immediately hereincanard surfaces 19, vectoring of its control thruster jets 22, above. By operating the thruster jets 22 in combination withand articulating of its air inlets 13 and of its exhaust nozzles the articulating air inlets 13 and the articulating exhaust14 in order to increase the angle-of-attack ot of the super nozzles 14 to control roll, yaw, and pitch, the superagileagile aircraft to about 35° so as to effect a large increase in aircraft is prevented from attaining aerodynamic stall of thethe ?ight path angle 7 and in the rate of climb. 50 primary wing 15. In the event of inadvertent stall, tht?pilot As the superagile aircraft begins to decelerate because of can rapidly actuate the highly de?ectable canard surfaces 19,the large increase in induced drag associated with the high the articulatable air inlets 13, the articulatable exhaustangle-of-attack ot, the angle-of-attack or is further increased nozzles 14, and the thruster jets 22 to attain an angle-ofto values in the range of 60° to 70° and the superagile attack or su?iciently higher than that associated with maxiaircraft is banked at a high angle (I) approaching 90°. This 55 mum lift.high banking maneuver allows the superagile aircraft to Thus, a nose-high aircraft pitch attitude angle 0 isdecelerate further to a very low velocity so that it can turn attained, thereby providing a favorable ejection attitude andand redirect itself rapidly. Since the heading angle velocity enhanced survivability for the pilot in the event that hardw or turn rate of the superagile aircraft is determined contact of the superagile aircraft is anticipated to beprimarily at low speed below M=0.28 by the thrust-depen 60 unavoidably made with the ground. A favorable ejectiondent term T/WV sin or in equation 6 because the velocity V attitude is one in which the pilot will be ejected from theis in the denominator, the ability of the superagile aircraft to aircraft in a direction away from the ground.turn rapidly and redirect itself allows such superagile aircraft The method of the present invention also involves theto gain a favorable position for weapon ?ring opportunities steps of actuating the highly de?ectable canard surfaces 19against the opposing conventional ?ghter jet. 65 and operating the thruster jets 22 to control roll, yaw and One advantage of the present invention relates to the pitch so that the superagile aircraft is prevented from enterstresses endured by the pilot when the superagile aircraft is ing into ?ight conditions whereby it will begin or sustain a Re. 35,387 9 10spinning motion. In the event of an inadvertent spinning increasing thrust of a propulsion system to a maximummotion, the pilot can rapidly actuate the canard surfaces 19 capability;and the thruster jets 22 to counteract and eliminate the vectoring gross thrust of the propulsion system by de?ectequilibrium between aerodynamic forces and centrifugal ing articulating exhaust nozzles to angles which augforces that exist in a sustained spinning motion. ment turning capability and assure control of the air The highly de?ectable canard surfaces 19 and the thruster craft at low velocities;jets 22 my also be operated to return the superagile aircraftfrom the high angle-of-attack or of supemorrnal ?ight to a de?ecting articulating air inlets at the appropriate angle to face into a local air stream so as to provide minimallynormal ?ight condition existing below the angle-of-attack orfor maximum lift. distorted air ?ow to the propulsion system; banking the The foregoing preferred embodiments of the superagile 10 aircraft to angles approaching 90°; decelerating theaircraft and of the methods of ?ying it are considered aircraft to a velocity less than stalling velocity;illustrative only. Numerous other modi?cations and changes turning the heading angle of the aircraft; and pointing thewill readily occur to those of ordinary skill in aerodynamic aircraft in any direction necessary to be aimed at antechnology after reading the foregoing disclosure. Conse opposing or threatening aircraft; whereby the aircraftquently, the disclosed aircraft and method of ?ying it are not 15 has, by developing very high turn rates and deceleralimited to the exact constructions and steps shown and tions, effectively become superagile in supemorrnaldescribed herein but are intended to embrace other embodi ?ight.ments within the purview of the appended claims without 4. The method according to claim 3, further comprisingdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention. the step of: What I claim as my invention is: rede?ecting the rotatable canard surfaces, articulating air 1. A superagile tactical ?ghter aircraft comprising: inlets, and articulating exhaust nozzles to positions so as to rapidly return the aircraft to an angle-of-attack a fuselage having a nose, a rnidsection, an aft section and below the angle-of-attack which produces maximum at least one vertical tail, said fuselage adapted to house lift; whereby the aircraft returns in a controlled manner a human pilot, a payload, fuel, automatic ?ight control to an unaccelerated, trimmed normal ?ight condition. systems, a navigation system, and a life support system 25 5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising to assist and sustain the pilot; the steps of: ?xed wings mounted on the aft section of the fuselage, vectoring thrust from control thruster jets, or any other behind a center-of-gravity of the aircraft; acceptable force means, located around a nose, near a high thrust-to-weight propulsion system being mounted 30 exhaust nozzles, and on at least one vertical tail of the to the wings; aircraft, in directions to provide acceptable and neces fully articulating air inlets at a front end of the propulsion sary control and trim about roll, yaw, and pitch axes of the aircraft at low velocities. system, said air inlets being de?ectable so as to face 6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising into a local air stream so as to provide minimally the steps of: distorted air ?ow to the propulsion system throughout 35 a complete ?ight regime but particularly at very high de?ecting further the rotatable canard surfaces rapidly to angles of attack and low air speeds; attain an angle-of-attack su?iciently higher than the angle-of-attack which produces maximum lift so that a fully articulating exhaust nozzles at a rear end of the controllable stable and trimmable nose-high aircraft propulsion system, said exhaust nozzles being rapidly pitch attitude is attained; de?ectable so as to allow the pilot the capability to whereby favorable ejection attitude and enhanced surviv vector and direct gross thrust produced by the propul ability for a pilot is achieved in the event it appears that sion system; and a hard contact of the superagile aircraft with ground is rotatable canard surfacce means, mounted on the midsec unavoidable. tion on the fuselage in front of the center-of'gravity and 7. The method according to claim 3, wherein: separate from the wings, for fully and rapidly de?ecting said angle at which the gross thrust is vectored by the air ?ow thereacross in an angle-of-attack range with trailing edge about 90° up to trailing edge about 45° articulating exhaust nozzles is appropriate to provide necessary longitudinal and trim forces and moments at down, said canard surface means being located so as to very low aircraft velocities. provide pitch control forces and moments and to cause 50 8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the aircraft to be longitudinally unstable and capable of the steps of: trimming at very high angles of attack approaching the range from 70° to 90°. rapidly actuating the highly de?ectable canard surfaces; 2. The aircraft according to claim 1, further comprising: providing roll, yaw, and pitch control by aerodynamic thruster jet means, or any other acceptable force means, control surfaces; arranged around the nose of the fuselage, on the pro rapidly actuating the thrust vectoring exhaust nozzles; and pulsion system near the exhaust nozzle, and on at least rapidly actuating the thruster jets; one vertical tail for vectoring thrust. whereby the superagile aircraft is prevented from entering 3. A method of ?ying a human-piloted longitudinally into ?ight conditions under which it will begin spinningunstable ?xed-wing tactical ?ghter aircraft comprising the motions. 60steps of: 9. The method according to claim 5, further comprising initiating an aerial maneuver in a vertical or pitch plane to the steps of: very high angles of attack and pitch approaching a rapidly actuating the highly de?ectable canard surfaces; range from 70° to 90° by: providing roll, yaw, and pitch control by aerodynamic highly de?ecting rotatable canard surfaces on the aircraft 65 control surfaces; to provide an angle-of‘attack greater than an angle-of rapidly actuating the thrust vectoring exhaust nozzles; and attack which produces maximum lift; rapidly actuating the thruster jets; Re. 35,387 11 12whereby, in the event of inadvertent spinning motions, trimming at very high angles of attack approaching the any equilibrium between aerodynamic and centrifugal range from 70° to 90°. forces that exist are eliminated in said spinning 11. A method of flying a human-piloted longitudinally motions, thereby allowing rapid recovery from the unstable ?xed-wing tactical ?ghter aircraft comprising the spinning motions. 5 steps of:10. A superagile tactical ?ghter aircraft comprising: initiating an aerial maneuver in a vertical or pitch planea fuselage having a nose, a midsection, an aft section and to very high angles of attack and pitch approaching a at least one vertical tail, saidfuselage adapted to house range from 70° to 90° by: a human pilot, a payload, fuel, automatic ?ight control highly de?ecting rotatable canard surfaces on the aircraft systems, a navigation system, and a life support system to provide an angle—of-attack greater than an angle to assist and sustain the pilot; of-attack which produces maximum lift;?xed wings mounted on the aft section of the fuselage, increasing thrust of a propulsion system to a maximum behind a center-of—gravity of the aircraft; capability;a high thrust-to-weight propulsion system being mounted vectoring gross thrust of the propulsion system by de?ect to the aircraft; ing articulating exhaust nozzles to angles which augfully articulating exhaust nozzles at a rear end of the ment turning capability and assure control of the propulsion system, said exhaust nozzles being rapidly aircraft at low velocities; de?ectable so as to allow the pilot the capability to banking the aircraft to angles approaching 90°; deceler vector and direct gross thrust produced by the propul 20 ating the aircraft to a velocity less than stalling veloc sion system; and tty;rotatable canard surface means, mounted on the midsec turning the heading angle of the aircraft; and pointing the tion on the fuselage in front of the center-of-gravity and aircraft in any direction necessary to be aimed at an separate from the wings, forfully and rapidly de?ecting opposing or threatening aircraft; whereby the aircraft air ?ow thereacross in an angle-of-attack range with 25 has, by developing very high turn rates and decelera trailing edge about 90° up to trailing edge about 45° tions, effectively become superagile in supernormal down, said canard surface means being located so as to provide pitch control forces and moments and to cause the aircraft to be longitudinally unstable and capable of UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. RE 35, 387 Page 1 of 2 DATED December 3, 1996 INVENTOR(S) : Thomas H. Strom It is certi?ed that ermi' appears in the above-identi?ed patent and that said Letters Patent is hereby corrected asslmm below:

Cover page, left column, line 1 and column 1, line 1, "SUPERFRAGILE"

should be -— SUPERAGILE ——. '

Cover page, right column, line 6, "128344" should be

——l283443-— .

Column 2, line 46, correct the spelling of —-survivable-—.

Column 4, line 32, "cnpvz" should be —-CDpV2——;

line 34, "CLPV" should be —-CLpV——; line 37, "CLPV" should be ——CLpV"; line 38, delete the minus sign (—) ; and

line 63, "V2" should be ——V2—— .

Column 5, line "wheading" should be —~!, heading——; and

line "101" should be ——<P—— .

Column 6, line "inn" should be ——in-—; and

line "Math" should be ——Mach——.

UNITED‘STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIONPATENT NO. : RE 35, 387 Page 2 of 2DATED I December 3, 1996INVENTUMS) : Thomas H. Strom It is ceni?ed that enor appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent is herebyconettedasdlown below: